[ri-freyn] 
| 1. | to abstain from an impulse to say or do something (often fol. by from): I refrained from telling him what I thought. |
| 2. | Archaic. to curb. |
| re·frain 1 (rĭ-frān') v. re·frained, re·frain·ing, re·frains v. intr. To hold oneself back; forbear: refrained from swearing. v. tr. Archaic To restrain or hold back; curb. [Middle English refreinen, from Old French refrener, to restrain, from Latin refrēnāre : re-, re- + frēnāre, to restrain (from frēnum, bridle, from frendere, to grind; see ghrendh- in Indo-European roots).] re·frain'er n., re·frain'ment n. Synonyms: These verbs mean to keep or prevent oneself from doing or saying something: refrained from commenting; abstained from smoking; can't forbear criticizing them. |
